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Lead investigator

Collaborators & Co-Investigators

• Mark Carpenter, PhD

Research Sites & Affiliations

• University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia

Budget: $100,000

Disorders: Chronic Inflammatory demylinating polyneuropathy

Research Areas: Enhance Care

Abstract: 

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) is a condition whereby the body’s own immune system mounts an attack against the nerves in the arms and legs. This causes muscle weakness, loss of sensation and pain. One of the biggest challenges facing people with CIDP is loss of balance, which can lead to an increased risk of falls. In fact, people with CIDP report that loss of balance is the symptom they would most like to cure, of all the possible symptoms of CIDP.

Our project will address three main questions about balance in CIDP: 1) What are the causes of balance problems in CIDP?; 2) When a person is treated for CIDP, does it improve their balance?; 3) Can we measure balance in a way that is easy and quick for people with CIDP? In order to answer these questions, we will use a combination of special, highly detailed balance tests that have rarely been used for people with CIDP. We will also test whether patients’ balance is different before and after treatment. Finally, we will test whether the results from our specialized balance tests can be measured using simpler tests at the bedside.

The results of our project will promote the study of balance in CIDP. By improving knowledge about the causes of balance problems, we can design better treatments. After this study we will also be able to use balance as a tool to measure the response to different treatments for CIDP.

Impact: